Crimping tool



Dec. 1, 1942, c. l. BEARD 2,303,814

CRIMPING TOOL Filed Oct. 29,1941

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Patented Dec. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' 2303,814 i 'cnnurmcTOOL Charles L. Beard, Lancaster, Pa. Application October 29, 1941,Serial No. 417,041

' 4.0laims. (o1.15 s. 29)

This invention relates to a device for crimping or bending aircraftsheet metal;

The principal object of the present invention is to providea crimpingtool for crimping or bending aircraft sheet metal to assure ofa tightjoint being formed when the metal is riveted in place.

Another object is to provide a crimping tool particularly adaptable forfield service repair work in that the same may be readily operated byeven an unskilled mechanic to uniformly and accurately crimp or bend theedges of sheet metal. v

Another object is the provision of a crimping device which is adaptableto be used as astasheet metal.

A further object is the provision of a crimping tool for uniformlycrimping the edges of aircraft sheet metal, used, for example, in patchand other repair or maintenance work, wherein it is essential that theedges of the metal be evenly and uniformly crimped or bent to effectanair tight joint when the sheet is riveted to the plane structure.

A still further object is to provide a crimping tool which may bereadily adjusted to adapt the tool for crimping varying thicknesses ofmetal and crimps of varying widths and depths.

A still further object is the provision of a crimping tool adaptable forcrimping either straight or curved sheet metal edges, which may beoperated by running the material through the device or pushing thelatter over the material.

Still another object is to provide a crimping tool having means forcrimping thin or soft sheet metal without scratching, scoring or otherwise damaging the surface thereof.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent as thespecification is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein: u

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the crimping tool with a sheet of metalin crimped position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tool with the sheet removed therefrom;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the tool, part1 broken away toillustrate the crimping and forming rollers; and T l Figure 4 is asection on theline 4-4 of ,Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, thenumeral I designates generally a housing having a pair of sides 2,bottom 3 and end 4, the latter being removably secured to the sides byscrews or the like 5. A relatively wide bottom or forming roller 6 isjournalled, by means of ball bearings 1, in a pair of bearings 8, formedon a base plate 9.

The underside of the baseplate 9 is tapered, as at l0, and .slidablyengages with a tapered wedge ll, formed on the inner end of a screw l2which extends through an opening [3 in one of the side housing walls 2.The outer end of the screw [2 threadedly engages with a threadedcylindrical adjusting nut l4, suitably journalled', as at l5, inthe'opening [3. Upon rotation of the nut 14, in the appropriate direction,the wedge H is moved along the tapered bottom ID of the base plate andvertically moves the base and forming roller 6, relative to the housing,in an obvious manner. The base plate 9 and forming roller 6 are alsoadapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the housing I, for a purposepresently to be described, by means of 'a screw l6, threadedlypositioned, in a hole H in the outer end of the base plate 9. The screwprojects outwardly through a threaded cylindrical nut l8, rotatablymounted in an opening [9 in the end wall 4 of the housing. Rotation ofthe nut I8 in the appropriate'direction, causes the base plate 9 andforming roller 6 to be moved longitudinally. of the housing, in anobvious manner.

An annular flared shoulder 20 is formed on the roller 6, and the rollerand shoulder project through an opening 2| in a flat cover plate 22,suitably secured by screws or the like 23 to the housing I. Theperipheraledge of the annular flared shoulder 20, of the forming roller'6, engages with a beveled face 24 on the underside of a relativelysmall stop block 25, suitably seor the like 3| to the upper end of anuprightor post 32, suitably secured, as at 33, to a sub-' stantiallyfiat base plate 34. The upright 32 is also attached to the side walls 2of the housing by screws or the like 35. A coverplate 36, secured byscrews or the like 3'! to the front of the block 30, encases thecrimping disc 21 and thelat: ter extends below the bottom 38 of theblock 30. The periphery of the disc 21 iscurved or rounded, as at 39,for frictionally engaging a sheet of substantially fiat aircraft metalor like material '40, which is positioned on the flat cover plate 22, ofthe housing I, and supported by the forming roller 6. v

Prior to crimping or bending the sheet 40, the

' width and depth of the crimp is first determined and the nuts 14 andI8 are rotated to adjust the direction, viewing Figure 2, which causesthe base plate 9 to be pulled outwardly through the housing 1 and movesthe flared annular shoulder 20 of the forming roller 6 to a pointadjacent the crimping disc 21; and the nut' I4 is rotatedin acounterclockwise direction, viewing Figure 2, which moves the wedge l lforwardly against the tapered bottom ID of the base plate and elevatesthe forming roller to the desired distance beneath the crimping disc 21.If a relatively wide and shallow crimp is to be formed, the nuts I8 and[4 are rotated in counterclockwise-and clockwise directions,respectively, thereby moving the flared portion 20 of the forming roller6 rearwardly or away from the crimping disc 21, and loweringthe'rollerrelative' to the disc. With the forming roller properlyadjustednthe metal sheet 40' is pushed; orpulled between "the curvedperiphery 39' of. the crimping disc 21 and the forming roller 6, withthe edge of the sheet abutting the side of the stop block 25,.resu1tingin the pressure of the crimping disc 21 forcing the straight edge of thesheet 49 against the flared annular shoulder 2!! of the forming roller 6and forming the crimp or bend 4| in the metal. Due to the application ofuniform pressure from the crimping disc and forming roller and therolling of the disc and roller over the surface of the metal, anaccurate and uniform crimp will be formed. Thus, when the sheet isriveted to a surface, in the conventional manner, the crimped edge 4|will form a tight seal which will exclude all air and moisture, whichwould not be possible if the edge was hammered or otherwise flattened.The flat base plate 34 is preferably attached to a flat surface, such asa work bench. 42, by screws or the like 43, although, the base plate maybe readily and satisfactorily clamped in a vise, not shown, in anobvious manner. It may also be desirable to suitably clamp the sheetmetal in place and to move the crimping tool thereover in an obviousmanner, in which case this operation and. the I general handling of thetool may be facilitated by providing a suitable handle, not shown. Itwill be understood that a curved sheet of metal may bereadily crimped bythe tool, as it is only necessary to guide the edge of the sheet betweenthe crimping disc and forming roller so that the edge of the sheetengages with the side of the stop block 25, which assures of a crimp ofuniform width and depth being formed.

As aircraft metal is often soft, the forming roller 6 is provided with asuitable covering of paper or fabric. This covering assures of theunderside of the metal sheet being free from scratches or other damage,while the same is being crimped.

While a'preferred form of my crimping tool has been illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes and improvementsmay be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tool for crimping sheet metal of the character described comprisinga housing having a base plate movably mounted therein, said base platebeing formed with atapered portion, a rotatable forming roller carriedby, said base plate and having an annular flared forming means thereon,a vertical support adjacent said housing having a crimping discrotatably positioned thereon, said forming roller and flared formingmeans thereon cooperating with said crimping disc to crimp sheet metalbeing moved therebetween, and a wedge means in said housing engageablewith the tapered portion of said base plate for vertically adjustingsaid forming roller relative to said crimping'disc to regulate the depthof the crimp formed in the metal, and means for moving said formingroller longitudinally of said housing for adjusting said flared formingshoulder relative to said crimping disc to regulate the width of thecrimp formed in the metal.

2. A;tool for crimping sheet metal of the character described comprisinga housing having a base plate movably mounted therein, said base platebeing formed with a tapered bottom, a11 tatable forming roller carriedbyjsaid base plate and having an annular-flaredfurming. shoulderthereon, a vertical supporthaving a vertically disposed crimpingdiscrotatably positioned thereon, said forming roller and flaredforming' 'shoulder thereon cooperating'with said crimping disc 't'ocrimp sheet metal being moved therebetween', anda wedge member injsaidhousing engageable with the tapered bottom of said base plate forvertically adjusting said forming roller relative "to said,crimping'disc to regulate the depth of the crimp formed in the metal,and means for movingsaid' forming roller in said housing to adjust saidflared forming shoulder relative to said crimping disc to regulate thewidth of the crimp formed'in the metal. f a

3. A tool for crimping sheet metal of thecha'racter described comprisinga housing having a base plate movablymountedtherein, said base platebeing formed with a tapered bottom, a horizontally disposed rotatableforming roller car ried by said base plate and having an annular flaredforming'shoulder thereon, a Vertical'sup port having a verticallydisposed crimpingdisc rotatably positioned thereon, said forming rollerand flared forming shoulder thereon cooperating with said crimping. discto crimp sheet metal being moved therebetween,and a wedge member in saidhousing engageable with the tapered bottom of said base plate forvertically adjusting said forming roller relative to said crimping discto regulate the depth of the crimp; andmeans for moving said baseplateandforming roller longitudinally of said housing for adjusting saidflared forming shoulder relative to said crimping disc to regulate thewidth ofthe crimp formed in the metal. f 4. A tool for crimping sheetmetal of the character described comprising a housing having a baseplate movably mounted therein, a rotatable forming roller carried bysaid base plate and'having an. annular forming shoulder thereon, asupport adjacent said housing having a crimping disc rotatablypositioned thereon, said forming roller and forming shoulder cooperatingwithsaid crimping disc to crimp sheet metal positioned therebetween,.anda wedge means in said housing engageable with said base plate forjverticallyad justing said forming roller relative to said crimping discto regulate the depth of the crimp formed in the metal, a screw securedto said base

